Happy Birthday and Happy Christmas!

Maybe someday I'll be organized enough for Charlotte's birthday to have a post before Christmas?  Well, not this year.  Sorry, little girl!

We celebrated Letty Rose's special day with family and a lasagna lunch.  As expected, the weather did not cooperate, and about half of our guests couldn't make it.  It really was okay because giant birthday parties really aren't what one-year-olds love anyway.  Olive Garden made lasagna, and I made cupcakes.  Shaun and I have decided that catering is the way to go sometimes.  When the point is food, make fancy food.  When the point is to join in celebration, go for catering.  It's delicious and saves so much on the busyness that can distract from the enjoyment of the gathering.  The cupcakes I enjoyed making and decorating with edible rice paper butterflies from England.  They were beautiful! Yes, the day was enjoyed.

Happy birthday, Charlotte Rose!

After the party, it was right on to planning Christmas, which was at our house this year.  We, of course, celebrated Christmas Eve near Atkinson.  No planning there, thanks to the aunts.  Christmas day we hosted the grandparents, Mom and Dad, Kati and Ryan, Shaun, Bill, and Will.  Shaun and I made beef tenderloin, baked potatoes, rolls, green bean casserole (fancy version, delicious!), with pumpkin pie and raspberry cake for dessert.  I was quite pleased with the cake, which was made for Dad's birthday.  (Good intentions were interrupted by a birth last year.)

Forrest was excited for his gifts, and as always, Charlotte was excited for whatever Forrest was doing.  The highlights for Forrest this year were a USA floor puzzle, "pillow with handles," 3M wall mounting stickies, and countries of the world 100 piece puzzle.  The kiddo is into geography right now, seriously into it.  

Thanks, Shaun, for the Christmas pajamas!

Christmas card photo taken back in November.

Christmas Update

Despite Forrest being sick, we had a lovely Christmas celebration at Dad and Mom's.  (They finished their family room 20 years after beginning the project, spurred on by the need to host due to Forrest's dog allergy at Shaun and Bill's).  Here are a few pictures!

Yes, I did approve of a bounce house.  Being a parent makes you so gullible... 

Can it be?  A new, blue mixer?  Yes, this is what he has been asking for for months.  All other presents were disappointing until this one was opened.

Christmas suspenders?  Yes, indeed.

The grandparents came over for a beautiful, and delicious lunch.

Hope everyone else had as nice a holiday as we did!

A Merry Christmas

A few pictures to remember Christmas 2013:

Shaun and Bill once again hosted our festivities.  (Thank you!  I know we're quite the group!)  After celebrating Christmas Eve at Aunt Kathy's house, our family enjoyed time together in East Peoria on Christmas Day.  Although you wouldn't know it by looking at the pictures, the amount of Christmas presents changed a lot this year.  I decided for the family that it might be nice to do fewer presents and just have fun spending time together, both on Christmas and on a family vacation later this spring or summer.  I talked everyone into it, and I'm glad we did.  We had a few thoughtful presents and stocking stuffers for everyone, and then just relaxed, cooked, ate, played games, and did a puzzle.  

Forrest seemed to be exempt from the reduced presents rule.  He received so many fun and thoughtful gifts that we'll enjoy for a long time.  Some favorites already are the Sit and Spin, personalized book bag, books, and 4 wheeler.  (Yes, Shaun and Bill went there... and although I may protest, I secretly like it because it makes Forrest smile.)  Also, we haven't had a chance to get it out yet, but I know Forrest is going to like the water table Poppy and Gigi got.  

Grandpa and Grandma drove down in the afternoon for a visit and to enjoy our "Christmas Carnival." Shaun and I had fun frying up some carnival favorites including corn dogs and funnel cakes, both gluten free!  And Mom and Dad surprised us by renting a cotton candy machine.  That Jon G loves a good rental item.  It really was a fun day. 

What a blessing to spend the holiday with family!

Christmas Review

This year, Shaun and Bill were kind enough to host our family for a long Christmas weekend.  We continued family traditions, as always, with relaxed time together, good food, and lots of presents.  This year was fun because we welcomed Bill and Forrest to the festivities.  Also, Grandpa and Grandma came down for the second year in a row.  Hopefully this becomes a tradition.  It's always nice to see them.  Here are a few pictures from our time together.  

As Mom was thinking about her Christmas card, we realized that we haven't all been together for a group picture since last Christmas, so she decided on a new years card instead.  Here's what we came up with. 

Not a bad looking group :0)

Suggestions?

My lovely outside Christmas greenery decorations from Peoria are not going to work here in Monticello.  There is no railing, and the spots I might put them on the garage already have live "pointy" trees planted.  So, besides the door wreath, I need to completely redo the look.  Any ideas?  I'm not one for just hanging lights on all horizontal surfaces.  I would rather have greenery of some sort.

Mark That Down

Today I was showing Joshua the Christmas cards we've gotten the last couple of days. Many of these cards contain nice pictures and messages from friends and family. Joshua then said to me, "Next year I guess we should really send out Christmas cards." At this point, I burst out laughing. He never cares about things like Christmas cards. It's just not him. I normally care about things like Christmas cards, but I've never felt like we have much to share in a card, so I don't send them.

The purpose of this entry? Proof that he cares. Next year when he's whining and complaining about taking a Christmas card picture or helping to fill out the cards, I'll simply pull up this blog, and put him right in his place.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Notes

After all family gatherings, Grandma Norma is very organized and makes detailed notes as reminders for the next year. Vanilla Bean Counter and I have decided this is fantastic. Unfortunately, if I try to make paper notes, they will be lost by next year. So, I thought, blog it!

Christmas Eve Notes:

I brought the Christmas cookies. Although I was quite nervous about them, it worked out just fine. It was great to make them ahead of time to freeze. No last-minute preparation here.

Vanilla Bean Counter brought lentil soup, bacon-wrapped dates, some sort of tomato pizza appetizer, and a variety of glutten-free sweets. She probably brought something else, but I can't think of what. The lentil soup went over surprisingly well. The dates were great, and the pizza was a dud. The sweets were delicious, but really the best things were the caramels and the toffee. Just do those next year. Skip the 37 layer brownies next year.

Christmas Day Notes:

We had fajitas for lunch. It was nice having the onions, peppers, chicken, and beef options. No one ate the beans. Skip them next time. The rice was good. Recipe from epicurious.

We planned meatloaf and hamburgers for dinner but were too stuffed from lunch. We just had snacks.

Other food included a cheese ball, summer sausage, spinach dip with Hawaiian bread, apple pie, cookies, other sweets, and little smokies. Overall, way too much food. Cut back next year. Seriously.

Vanilla Bean Counter, please leave additional comments if desired.

Flowers = Classy

Well, Mother, you are much better at party planning than I am, but I did go the extra mile and get fresh flowers for Christmas.


I'm not sure what it is about flowers, but they really class up a place (even if a few carnations are thrown in). Today I spent some time making centerpieces with Christmas greenery and and red and white flowers. They turned out great!

Christmas Cookies - Trial 2

Great Grandma's Christmas cookies are a tradition in my family. The cookie-making torch was passed to Jon G many years ago, and she always does a fantastic job. This year I was thinking to myself, "Self, Jon G can't even eat the cookies (because of the wheat). Why don't you take over the cookies? You can do it!"

DUMB IDEA!

I don't bake. I'm horrible. I can cook dinner, but that's it. No baking, thank you.

I think I was expecting mom to be a little disappointed about giving up the tradition. Not so much. She handed over the original copy of the recipe without batting an eye. Then she promptly gave me specific directions to follow. Only use Fleishmann's margarine (found after going to FOUR grocery stores), and don't you dare add too much flour. If I fail to follow these directions, Christmas will be ruined for the entire family.

My first try last weekend turned out great, or so everyone besides my father said. Something wasn't quite right.

Last night I spent another couple of hours making trial two. I really hope they turned out. I won't know for sure until Christmas Eve when Grandpa and Dad try them.

Here are a few pictures.

Pretending to have some Christmas spirit regarding baking.

Avoiding too much flour.

Using an Easter cookie cutter, just to jazz it up a little. I needed some comic relief from the stress.

Putting on a serious face and persevering to the the end.

Tomorrow frosting will commence.

Oh Tannenbaum

Yesterday we headed out to Warren Tree Farm in Bartonville to find our perfect tree. It's been a few years, but in the olden days, our family had a firm tradition of searching for a gorgeous tree to cut down every year after Thanksgiving. It was really nice to go again. Vanilla Bean Counter and I had a lovely time. The weather was perfect, and the tree farm wasn't busy. It was Joshua's first time cutting a tree. Although he was a good sport, it wasn't really his thing.

We found a beautiful Fraser Fir in about a half hour, and Joshua had it sawed down in no time. We brought it right home and set it up. It's funny how trees look rather small in the forest, and then seem to grown once you get them home. Our 7.5 foot chubby tree is certainly bigger than the 6 foot petite tree I had in mind while shopping. By 10:00 last night, the tree was up and decorated, the needles cleaned up, and presents arranged beneath, a fun day that really put me in the holiday spirit.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

I don't usually decorate before Thanksgiving, but I couldn't help myself. It was much easier to put up the garland after buying it, rather than trying to find a place to store it just for a few days. So here's a small preview. I have a banister!

It's a lot of pressure to be festive this year. Christmas morning is at our house for the first time, instead of Mom's. Mom has gorgeous decorations galore, and until this year I've had nothing. So, after some trips to Hobby Lobby, I think my home will be quite lovely. The Christmas tree will be cut down on Friday from Warren Tree Farm in Bartonville, Joshua's aunt and uncle. Should be fun!